The Beatles appeared on the Morecambe and Wise show on December 1963. At the ATV Studios in Borehamwood, they performed This Boy and I Want To Hold Your Hand, before teaming up with the hosts for a version of Moonlight Bay.

The song was originally sung by Alice Faye in the 1940 film Tin Pan Alley. It made an appearance in 1951, when Doris Day sang it in On Moonlight Bay. By 1963 it was a well-known classic, and a suitable finale for the Morecambe and Wise show – "something suitable for Eric's age," in the words of Ernie Wise.

John, Paul, George, Ringo and Ernie donned boater hats and striped white jackets to perform the song; Eric Morecambe, meanwhile, wore a collarless jacket and a Beatle wig, and made a series of light-hearted interjections in between each line.

Lyrics

We were strolling along (twist and shout!)
On Moonlight Bay (whoo!)
We could hear the voices singing (I like it!)
You said you'd stay (Keep up, Bongo!)
You have broken my heart (oh, twist and shout!)
So go away ('Have the Beatles gone?' 'No, there here!')
With your short, fat hairy legs
On Moonlight Bay
On Moonlight Bay

Latest Comments

Remember watching this first time around. The Beatles were fans of Morecambe & Wise and you could see they really enjoyed doing the skit. Eric Morecambe’s adlibs (you’ve only got a little dad etc) were priceless.

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